Melting or soldering pot



`lune 12|, 1923. 1,458,430

E. MILLNER MELTING yOR SOLDERING POT Filed Sept. 29 1920 I HIHHI HI III \HII Il I HIIIII Il Patented June 12, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR HILLNEB, F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

xEL'rING on sotmaimim` Por.

Application nled September 29, 1920. Serial No. 413,643.

To all 'whom it lmay concern.' v

Be it known that I, EDGAR Mummia, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Melting or Soldering Fots, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates generally to melting-pots and, more particularlyn to certain new and useful improvements in melting or soldering-pots ofthe electrically heat ghe chief objects of my present invention are to provide a melting-pot having its heating-chamber so located relatively to the melting-chamber proper of the pot that substantially all of the heat radiated from or supplied by the heating-unit is conserved and utilized for melting-purposes and loss 0f heat by radiation is reduced substantially to a minimum; to provide a meltingpot having its heatin -chamber so disposed within and space from the walls of the melting-chamber that the material being o rated upon, as it becomes soft and ilowa le, is rmitted to circulate in the melting-cham r and around the heatingchamber, whereby the melting of such material is facilitated and quickened; toA provide an electrically heated soldering or melting-pot which may be raised to, and afterwards maintained at, eilicient working temperature with practically a minimum o f current consumption; to provide an electrically heated melting-pot in which the parts may be assembled with facility and in which the electric heating-unit may be conveniently and readily removed for repair or renewal; to provide a melting-pot which is eilicient in use and operation, and yet relatively simple and compact in form and inexpensive in construction and to generally improve upon and simplify the construc- 1, tion of melting-pots of the type described.

With the above and other objects in view,

' my present invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter described and afterwards pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing,

Fi re 1 is a vertical transverse section view of a melting or soldering-pot embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a similar view of the meltin pot, taken, however, at approximately rig t angles to Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmental perspective view of one of the sections of the electric heating-unit;

Figure. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of one of the legs of the heating-element of the heating-unit; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the terminals of the heating-element.

Referring now more in detail to the said drawing, which illustrates a practical embodiment of my' invention and in which like reference v"characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, the pot includes an outer preferably rectangular metallic 'open-top shell or housing A comprising a base or bottom Wall 1 and upstanding side walls 2, Walls 1 and 2 being integrally formed or shaped from a single section of material 0r otherwise rigidly fixed together. K4Disposed within shell A and against the inner faces of its base and side walls 1 and 2, are sheets or sections of asbestos or other suitable non-heat conducting material. which form a lining 3. Extending around the shell A at the upper ends, and upon the outer faces, of its side walls 2, is a marginal or finishing strip or band 4. The lining-sheets 3 are somewhat reduced in height relatively to the height of shellwalls 2, asseen in igures 1 and 2, and disposed around and Within the shell A and at the upper ends, and upon the inner faces, of the side lining-sheets 3, is a second strip or band 5` the strips 4 and 5 being rigidly fixed together and to the shell A by rivets, screws, or the like 6 passed transversely through the strips, the shell-Walls 2, and the side lining-sheets 3. As seen in Figure 1, one of the shell side-Walls 2 and its conti nous lining-sheet 3 are cut awa transverse y to provide a suitable elongate slot or opening. as at 7, for purposes shortly appearing.

B indicates a second open-top vessel or receptacle, which forms the pot roper and 'which is preferably a casting of) aluminum or other suitable metallic material of relative size fand conformation to fit within outer shell A. This vessel or inner shell B likewise comprises a base or bottom wall 8 and opposite end and side Walls 9, walls 9,

however, being of reduced height relatively` llO formed at their upper end to provide a flange, as at 10, adapted to fit and rest upon the inner strip 5, which strip provides a seat for suspendingly supporting inner shell B within, and preferably spaced from the lining 3 of, outer shell A, as seen 1n Figures 1 and 2.

Provided within the melting-chamber, and forming substantially an integral part,

of inner shell B, is a so-called heating-chamber C, which extends` from and between opposite end walls 9 across the chamber ot shell B adjacent the bottom wall 8 thereof, as best seen in Figure 1. This chamhenC is formed by to and bottom walls 12 disposed horizonta ly in suitably spaced relation relatively to bottom Wall 8, and which are of reduced width relatively to the width of wall 8 and connected at their side edges by preferably arcuated side walls 13, one of the inner shell end walls 9 providing thc rear wall of the chamber C. The opposite inner shell end wall 9 is cut away or slotted coincident with, and between the walls of, chamber C to provide the chamber C with an open forward end, as at 14, which is adapted to register with slot 7 when inner shell B is operatively suspended as described within outer shell A. T he top' and bottom walls 12 of chamber C being of reduced width relatively to the wall 8 oi .shell B, as before described, side channels are provided within the chamber of shell B, whereby the space within shell B above the chamber C has communication with the space within shell B below the chamber C, for purposes shortly appearing.

The heating-unit which I prefer to cmploy with the melting-pot comprises a bodysection D approximately H-shaped in transverse section, as seen in Figure 2, section D consisting preferably integrally of a pair of oppositely disposed longitudinal wallmembers 15-15 preferably arcuated on their outer face to conform to the curvature of heating-chamber side walls 13, and a longitudinally disposed web 16 disposed between and connecting the walls 15 to provide the section D with oppositely disposed longitudinal recesses 15. At its one or forward end, web 16 is cut away to provide the section D with a forward end recess, as at 17, for purposes shortly appearing; and at its other or rear end, web 16 is cut away to accommodate between the walls 15 a section of fiber or other suitable insulation 18 provided at its opposite ends with extensions 19 which fit tightly in suitable grooves 20 formed upon the inner faces and at the rear ends of walls 15, as best seen in Figure 3.

Fixed transversely in insulation block or section 18, are terminal posts or tubes 21, having threaded engage-ment with which and disposed upofi both sides of the block 18, are terminal screws or members 22. Having electrical en agement with two of the members 22 an preferably upon opposite sides of the block 18, as seen in Figures 1 and 3, are wires W, which are adapted for inclusion by means of a plug or the like, not here specifically shown, in any convenient electric circuit.

E indicates the heating element proper, which is substantially, as best seen in Figure 1. in the form of an elongated U and includes a suitable fiat insulation core'23, arranged in strands upon which throughout its length is resistance wire 24. Preferably bifurcated or forked terminals 25, illustrated particularly in Figure 5, are clinched, as by integral ears or prongs 26, or otherwise rigidly fixed, in electrical engagement with the opposite ends of the resistance wire 24 and to and upon the core 23 adjacent its opposite sides and at the free ends of its legs for convenient electrical engagement with terminal members 22 of the element supporting-section D. Disposed upon the resistance wire 24 throughout the length, and upon both sides, of the core 23, to prevent short-circuiting, are strips of mica or other suitable insulation material 27; and disposed upon one, which l will designate the outer, mica strip or section, is a substantially U-shaped metallic cover section 28 provided at its side edges with suitable lateral tongues 28', which are bent or crimped around and upon the inner mica section, the several parts of the heating-element being thus firmly secured operatively together in fixed relation in a most simple, but efficient manner.

The heating-element E is of a length and width relatively to body-section D to straddle the web 16 and neatly fit in the longitudinal and cnd recesses 15 and 17, and when so fitted in and upon the section D, its terminals 25 conveniently engage electrically with the terminals 22. Manipulation of the screws 22. easily then accomplished, serves to readily detachably secure the heating-element electrically to the terminals 21 of the body-section D.

The body-section D of the heating-unit is of a size and conformation to preferably fit snugly, yet removably. within the heating` chamber C of the pot; and in use or operation, an inner shell B is first suspendingly fitted within outer shell A, and a heatingunit, comprising electrically connected elements D and E, then slidably projected through slot 7 into its heating or operating position illustrated in Figure 1. Then in such position. it will be observed that the heating unit is substantially entirely housed and, through its chamber C, located directly within the melting-chamber proper of the pot, and the heat generated thereby, when the pot is connected up in circuit, is trans` mitted and conducted through body-section D and the Walls of heating-chamber C directly into the melting-chamber of vessel or shell B. And by means of such construction and supplemented also by outer asbestos lined shell A, substantially all the heat generated in and supplied by the heating unit is conserved and retained Within the pot and utilized for melting purposes, little or no heat being wasted or dissipated by radiation outwardly from the pot. I have found that a melting pot embodying my present invention may in a relatively short space of time be raised to, and afterwards maintained at, efficient working temperature with practically a minimum of current consumption. Due further to the location of the heatingchamber C within the chamber of the pot proper and the communication afforded Within the melting-chamber around the heating-chamber, the lead-solder or other material being operated upon will, as it softens and becomes fluid, circulate within the melting chamber and around the heating-chamber, whereby the process of melting is greatly facilitated and quickened. My new pot is as a whole most eflcient in use and operation, is relatively simple in form and inexpensiver in construction, is economical in point of current consumption, and its parts, including the heating-unit, may be conveniently assembled and readily taken apart for repair or replacement.

I am aware that changes in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the pot may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle'of my invention. I may add that slot 7 of outer shell A is usually closed by means of a strip or section of fiber or other insulation 29 disposed and suitably secured latwise in slot-covering position upon section A and perforated, as at 30, to accommodate the wires W.

Having thus described my invention, what I laim and desire to secure by Letters Paten 1s:

1. A melting pot including an inner shell and a heating chamber, the heating-chamber being disposed crosswise within the shell and comprising top and bottom walls spaced from each other and from the bottom wall of the shell and connected with opposite end walls of the shell and side walls connecting said top and bottom walls and spaced from opposite side walls of the shell, one end wall of the shell forming an end wall of the chamber and the opposite end Wall of the shell being slotted to rovide an opening into the chamber, in com ination with an outer containing shell for the inner shell and heatingchamber, the outer shell having a slot adapted for registration with the slot of the inner shell, and an electric heating-unit adapted for projection through said registering slots` to fit within the heating-chamber for supplying heat to the chamber of the inner shell.

2. A melting pot including, in combination, an outer open top shell having a slot in its side wall, an inner open top shell and a heating-chamber disposed crosswise within the confines of the inner shell, the inner shell and its heating-chamber being adapted to fit removably within the outer shell and the heating-chamber comprising top and bottom walls spaced from each other and from the bottom wall of the inner shell and connected with opposite end walls of the inner shell and side walls connectin said top and bottom walls and spaced rom opposite side walls of the inner shell, one end wall of the shell being slotted in registration with the slot in the outer shell and forming an opening into the heating-chamber, and an electric heating unit adapted for rojection through said registering slots to t within the heating-chamber for supplying heat to the chamber of the inner shell, the unit having terminal-wires extending outwardly of the pot for connection with the line-wiresof a circuit.

In testimony Whereof, I havek signed my name to this specification.

EDGAR MILLNER. 

